FY18 I&TS RFI

Note: This RFI follows announcement FA8620-17-R-3007 I&TS Industry Day CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Special Operations Forces Directorate (AFLCMC/WI), ISR Sensors and Foreign Military Sales Division (AFLCMC/WIN) Contracting Offices 2640 Loop Road West, Rm 215, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7106, United States. SYNOPSIS: AFLCMC/WIN manages the USAF Imaging & Targeting Support (I&TS) portfolio supporting the Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Capabilities Working Group (GCWG). The GCWG manages and plans Air Force airborne GEOINT Capabilities Research, Development Test and Evaluation investments. The I&TS portfolio is a key resource of the GCWG. The I&TS portfolio identifies and provides limited funding to develop and demonstrate promising next-generation Air Force airborne GEOINT capabilities. The key focus of I&TS is on the airborne sensor phenomenology's which include Electro/Optical, Infrared, Spectral-Multispectral/Hyperspectral Imaging, Ground Surveillance Radar, Full Motion Video, Light Detection and Ranging, and on-board processing/exploitation of sensor data. PURPOSE: In support of the I&TS program, AFLCMC/WIN is conducting market research across industry, academia and government agency programs. The intent is to identify promising candidate programs/technology efforts with projected capabilities that may improve current and future Air Force airborne GEOINT sensors and their role in enhancing the front side of end-to-end-functionality as well as identifying potential transition paths. Market research will help identify what research has been accomplished in the field of GEOINT, as well as technologies that currently exist or could be modified to fill a need. Although FY18 funding is uncertain, I&TS managers are seeking 1 - 2 year projects beginning in FY18 that require funding of less than $5 million per year with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4-6 with the objective of taking TRL to 6 or higher. AFLCMC/WIN seeks white papers and tri-charts by 1600 EST, 18 January 2017. All correspondence submitted will be protected and controlled as proprietary. After reviewing the submitted white papers and tri-charts, the Government may request technical exchanges and/or site surveys of respondents' facilities. This market research will potentially shape Air Force efforts in the FY18-25 timeframe. The Government anticipates the information received will be used to plan and program the required efforts to support airborne GEOINT objectives. I&TS candidates will be presented to the GCWG in the spring of 2017 for consideration. Submitted white papers should identify potential candidate programs and technology efforts related to the development and demonstration of GEOINT sensors, associated on-board data processing, and algorithms and components supporting end-to-end GEOINT functionality. Components may include: electronics, gimbals, cryogenics, diffraction gratings, focusing lenses, focal plane arrays, read-out integrated circuits, atmospheric and temperature correction algorithms/techniques, airborne processing, interference filters, spectrometer, high resolution imagery subsystems, etc. Components do not need to be part of an existing sensor system; research and development of these components may be ongoing independent of a full system. However, the focus of I&TS is on airborne (or on-board) GEOINT capabilities. Be advised: Review of submitted white papers will be accomplished by both United States Government (USG) employees and USG support contractors who have executed non-disclosure agreements. USG support contractor input is advisory in nature only. POINTS OF CONTACT (POC): For inquiries, technical or otherwise, email or contact POCs listed below. Name / Phone NIPRNET: Unclassified SIPRNET: Secret Inquiries JWICS: Top Secret Inquiries Chuck Gulley (937) 255-4920 charles.gulley.2@us.af.mil charles.t.gulley.civ@mail.smil.mil If you have Top Secret submittals, for instructions contact a POC listed in this table by phone or NIPRNET. Kevin Skinner (937) 255-3573 kevin.skinner.2.ctr@us.af.mil kevin.l.skinner.ctr@mail.smil.mil John Mitchel (937) 255-3872 john.mitchel.ctr@us.af.mil john.r.mitchel.ctr@mail.smil.mil JWICS: Top Secret Inquiries: If you have Top Secret submittals, for instructions contact a POC listed in the table above by phone or NIPRNET. BACKGROUND: Candidate I&TS technologies may include on-board processing (vice ground processing) for multiple airborne platforms, and sensor technologies to increase range, resolution and/or aid in rapid targeting (geolocation models, sensor-based exploitation/recognition tools, sensor networking capabilities). AFLCMC/WIN requests information on the following ISR focus areas that will: Improve GEOINT capabilities in anti-access, denied areas and contested environments, Support find, fix, track, target, assess in near real time for airborne ISR assets, Detect and/or characterize camouflaged, concealment and deception targets, Detect, characterize and track dismounts in densely populated and rural areas, Detect, identify and track personnel of interest, Enhance all-weather motion imagery capabilities, Support multi-intelligence collection in triple canopy jungle, Enhance surveillance on open seas and littoral approaches, Collect and characterize information on underground facilities, Enhance current data throughput, Enhance on-board data storage capabilities, Enhance on-board real-time processing for correlation/fusion of multi-source sensor data and object/target recognition capabilities, Enhance and expand the range of application for fully automated target recognition (ATR) (all modalities). In submitting White Papers, the following ground rules, assumptions, and instructions apply: - 1. Explain how the system technology/component supports Airborne Sensors for ISR (ASI) consistent with the focus areas above (Ref FBO Announcement FA8620-16-R-4006), - 2. Explain how the system technology/component impacts Open Systems Architecture*, - 3. Explain how the system technology/component technologies will benefit end-to-end sensor operations and functionality, - 4. Identify current system or component TRL, expected final TRL (as defined in DoD Deskbook 5000.2-R, Appendix 6), and provide rationale for your determination, - 5. Identify potential industry or government transition partners/sponsors to include POC information, - 6. Identify any current or anticipated Critical Program Information/Critical Technology, - 7. Explain how the system or component will impact processing, exploitation and dissemination (PED), - 8. Identify any new supporting architecture or infrastructure (e.g., cryogenics, processing, computer resources, analytic tools, storage requirements, environmental requirements, ground control, communications, etc.) required for the technology (if applicable), - 9. Identify unique tools and/or peculiar support equipment, as well as any proven integration with platforms flown or tested (if applicable), - 10. Responses must provide and identify a technical and security Point of Contact (name/telephone/e-mail). *NOTE: DOD preferred approach for implementation of open systems, is both a business and technical strategy for developing a new system or modernizing an existing one. OSA enables acquisition and engineering communities to design for affordable change, employ evolutionary acquisition and spiral development, and develop an integrated roadmap for system design and development. Basing design strategies on widely supported open standards increases the chance that future changes to the system will be integrated in a cost-effective manner. WHITE PAPER / TRI-CHART SUBMITTAL: The Government invites industry to submit one White Paper and Tri-Chart per project (see attached Guidance) at the unclassified or FOUO or classified level up to TS/SCI at any time on or before 1600 EST, 18 January 2017. Before submitting classified responses to this RFI, contact Mr. Chuck Gulley, ((937) 255-4920) or Mr. Kevin Skinner, ((937) 255-3573) or Mr. John Mitchel, ((937) 255-3872) to ensure all appropriate security procedures and policies are followed. Do not use password protection on submitted documents. For FOUO/proprietary or International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) documents, submit via the Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE) at https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/Welcome.aspx. Instructions are on the website. Send your submittals to all POCs listed in the chart above. You will receive acknowledgement that your submittal has been received. Page Count Limit: Tri-Chart: (1) page; White Paper: three (3) pages maximum Submittal Method for: (a) UNCLASSIFIED: Send via AMRDEC to all POCs listed above. (b) SECRET: by SIPRNET or registered mail to the points of contact stated below (contact POC for instructions); (c) TS/SCI: (Contact POC for instructions) (d) FOUO/Proprietary/ITAR: Via AMRDEC SAFE ADDRESSES for submitting White Papers and Tri-Charts: (a) Unclassified E-mail Address: Send via AMRDEC Safe to all POCs listed above. (b) Unclassified Mailing Address Mr. Chuck Gulley or Mr. Kevin Skinner or Mr. John Mitchel AFLCMC/WINA I&TS RFI 2530 Loop Road West, Room 144 Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 (c) SIPRNET E-mail Address (d) Registered Mail for Secret documents See table above to notify POC before sending Mr. Chuck Gulley or Mr. Kevin Skinner or Mr. John Mitchel AFLCMC/WINA I&TS RFI 2530 Loop Road West, Room 144 Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433 (e) JWICS E-mail Address (f) FOUO/Proprietary/ ITAR Call for instructions Send via AMRDEC to all POCs listed above. https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/Welcome.aspx ) This is not a Request for Proposal. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this announcement. Submitting capabilities and concepts in response to this announcement is voluntary, and participants shall not be compensated.